Connector pin adjusting tool



Jan. 18, 1966 TQsTENsQN 3,229,495

CONNECTOR PIN ADJUSTING TOOL Filed June 20, 1963 WEwo/v LTOSTENSON INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,229,495 CONNECTOR PTN ADJUSTING TOOL Weldon L. Tostenson, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Bunker-Raine Corporation, Stamford, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 20, 1963, Ser. No. 289,358 6 Claims. (Cl. 72418) The invention relates to tools, and more particularly to a tool and method for adjusting electrical connector pins, each of which pins includes two substantially parallel arms which are to be spaced apart by a predetermined distance.

Most modern day electronic computers utilized large quantities of printed circuit boards, that is, insulating boards having electrical circuitry printed or etched thereon. Generally, each printed circuit board is provided at one end with one or more rows of connector pins, which are designed to be inserted into a receptacle and make contact with other pins to connect the circuitry on the printed circuit board into the circuitry of the computer. The connector pins on the printed circuit board must be accurately aligned or they will not easily fit into the receptacle and, in the process of being inserted into the receptacle, may even damage the receptacle.

In one known type of connector, the connector pins are essentially planar and have two substantially parallel arms spaced apart by a small predetermined distance. One set of such connector pins is mounted on a printed circuit board and another set is mounted in a receptacle into which the printed circuit board is to be plugged. The planes of the connector pins mounted on the circuit board and the planes of the connector pins mounted in the receptacle are normal to each other so that the arms of the connector pins of one set slide between the arms of the pins of the other set. If the spacing between the arms of a connector pin is not maintained at its predetermined value, difficulties arise. If the spacing is too great, good electrical contact will not be made between the pins on the printed circuit board and those in the receptacle; if the spacing is too small, undue force will be required to make the arms of mating pins mesh. In practice, it has been found that the most troublesome condition is that the spacing has been reduced by mishandling or other carelessness in the computer manufacturing operations.

A typical printed circuit board may utilize as many as forty or more connector pins and a considerable force is required to insert the board into the receptacle. It has been found that if as few as two of the connector pins do not have wide enough gaps between their arms, the receptacle may be broken in two. This, of course, is not only expensive but also time-consuming, in that all of the electrical connections to the connector pins in the receptacle must be removed and wired into a new receptacle. The present invention provides a method and apparatus for quickly and accurately adjusting the spacing between the arms of a plurality of connector pins, an operation that heretofore had to be done laboriously and painstakingly by hand.

Briefly speaking, the present invention is based on the realization that of the plurality of connectors on a single circuit board the gaps between the arms of some may be too large and between others too small. Therefore, in practicing the invention, the arms of all of the connectors are simultaneously compressed so that the gaps between the arms are substantially decreased below the predetermined size. The arms are all then simultaneously and uniformly spread apart to adjust the spacing between the arms to the predetermined amount.

The tool of the invention for accomplishing the foregoing functions basically comprises compressing means 3,229,495 Patented Jan. 18, 1966 for exerting force on the connector pins to decrease the spacing between the arms to less than the predetermined distance, and spacing means for exerting force on the pins to increase the spacing between the arms of each of the pins from the less than predetermined distance to the predetermined distance. In more detail, it comprises a base member and means such as slotted side walls for supporting the circuit board above the base member with the connector pins extending toward one end of the base. The compressing means, comprising at least two bars between which the connector pins can be forced, is mounted at the end of the base member at a height either above or below the level of the slots into which the circuit board fits. The spacing means, comprising at least one knife edge, is also mounted at that same end of the base memher and is mounted on the opposite side of the slots from the compressing mean. Thus, when the circuit board is inserted in the side wall slots with a given side upward and is urged toward the end of the base member, the compressing means acts to decrease the spacing between the arms of the connector pins. If now the board is removed from the slots and reinserted with the given side downward, when it is urged toward the end of the base member the spacing means acts to increase the spacing between the arms of the pins to the predetermined de sired amount.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a circuit board having connector pins of a type which the tool of the invention is designed to adjust;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the circuit board of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a tool embodying the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a part sectional, part elevational view of the tool shown in FIG. 3 taken along the lines 4-4 in FIG. 3 and with part of the side wall removed.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a printed circuit board 10 having two rows or sets of connector pins 11 and 12 of a well known and widely used type. The connector pins 11 and 12 are of essentially planar configuration and have two substantially parallel arms 11a, 11b and 12a, 1211, respectively, spaced apart by a small predetermined distance. The arms of the connector pins are adapted to mesh with similar arms of pins mounted in a receptacle (not shown) into which the circuit board is inserted when it is placed in a computer or like apparatus. The pins 12 are somewhat taller than the pins 11 so that when they are alternately mounted on the board 10 they form two rows. The pins may be mounted on the circuit board by means of legs, such as the legs 11c and 11d, which extend through holes in the circuit board and make contact with circuitry printed or etched on the other side of the board.

As previously mentioned, the s acing between the two arms of each connector pin must be accurately maintained or the pins will not function properly. For example, if the spacing is too great, the arms will not mesh properly and make good electrical contact with the arms of a mating pin; if the spacing is too small, more force than is proper will be required to place mating pins in engagement. If several of the pins on a board have their arms spaced too closely together, the force required to seat the board in the receptacle may be suflicient to break the receptacle or otherwise damage it or the board. FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a tool embodying the invention which may be used to adjust the spacing between the arms of the connector pins easily, quickly and accurately.

As shown, the tool comprises a relatively heavy base member 15 which may be provided with a plurality of holes 15a so that the tool may be bolted to a bench or posed side walls 16 and 17 are secured to the base member 15 by conventional means (not shown) and are provided with oppositely disposed slots 16a and 17a, respectively, substantially parallel to the base member. The tool is made of such size that a printed circuit board whose connector pins are to be adjusted can be slid into the slots 16a and 17a.

The base member 15 has an extended portion 15b at what might be termed its front end on which is mounted a handle, shown generally by the numeral 18. The handle .18 comprises a pair of side members 20 and 21 and a cross-member 22 with the side members being pivotally mounted for rotation about an axis defined by a pivot pin 23.

The handle 18 carries a block 24 which is mounted between the side members 20 and 21 for limited rotational movement about an axis defined by a pivot pin 25. One purpose of the block 24 is to engage an end of a printed circuit board, when the board is placed in the slots 16a and 17a, and urge the board toward the opposite end of the base member as the handle 18 is rotated. The block 24 also provides means for pulling a printed circuit board away from the other end of the tool. Such means comprise a pair of bosses 24a and 24b located near the sides of the block 24 and near the top of its inner edge. Each of the bosses 24a and 24b is provided with a pin 26 (only one of which can be seen). The bosses 24a and 24b are so located on the block 24 that, when a printed circuit board is in position in the tool, the pins 26 fit into holes a and 10b (FIG. 1) formed in the printed circuit board near its rear edge. Thus, as the handle 18 is moved back and forth, the printed circuit board may be moved toward and away from the other end of the tool.

To prevent the pins 26 from engaging the end of the printed circuit board rather than fitting into the holes in the card, the block 24 is provided with a pad 24c on its bottom surface. The pad rides on the surface of the base member and maintains the pins 26 above a circuit board inserted in the tool until the front surface of the block 24 has engaged the end of the board. As the board is urged into the tool by the block, the pad 240 enters a hollowed out section 15c in the base member 15 and the pins 26 drop into the holes in the circuit board. Of course, other means, such as springs, may be utilized to form the same function.

Compressing means and spacing means are mounted on the base member 15 at its end opposite handle 18. The compressing means operate to exert force on the connector pins carried by a circuit board to decrease the spacing between the arms of each of the pins to less than the proper predetermined distance. After the spacing has been decreased, the spacing means operate to exert force on the pins to increase the spacing between the arms of each pin to the proper predetermined distance.

As shown in the drawing, the compressing means comprise three bars 30, 31 and 32 which extend across the rear end of the base member 15 and are separated from each other by spacers 33 and 34. The compressing bars 30-32 are arranged substantially parallel to the base member 15 and are located above the slots 16a and 17a in the side walls. The bars 30-32 are tapered at their front or leading edges with substantially equal tapers on the bottom of the bar 30, on the top of bar 32 and on both :sides of the bar 31.

The bars 30, 31 and 32 are so spaced apart that, as a printed circuit board is inserted in the slots in the side walls 16 and 17 with its connector pins upward and is urged toward the compressing means, the pins 12 are forced between the bars 30 and 31 and the pins 11 are forced between the bars 31 and 32. Thus, the bars 30 and 31 exert force on the arms 12a and 12b of the connector pins 12 to compress them or squeeze them together while the bars 31 and 32 are simultaneously performing the a e function with res ect to the arms 11a and 11b of the connector pins 11. In practice, it has been found that if, for example, the correct spacing between the arms of the various connector pins is .012", the compressor bars may be spaced apart to decrease the spacing between the arms to .008.0l0". Thus, the compressor means comprising the bars 30, 31 and 32 operate to insure that none of the connector pin arms are spaced apart by more than the desired distance and that they can now all be respaced apart to the proper distance.

The spacing means for spreading apart the connector pin arms to the proper distance comprises two knife edges 35 and 36 mounted below the compressing means and below the slots 16a and 17a in the side walls Spacers 37-40 are utilized to locate the knife edges 35 and 36 so that, when a printed circuit board is inserted in the slots in the side walls with the connector pins downward, the knife edges 35 and 36 are in alignment with the spaces between the arms of the connector pins. Thus, when the circuit board is urged toward the spacing means, the knife edge 35 is inserted between the arms 12a and 12b of the connector pins 12 and the knife edge 36 is inserted between the arms 11a and 11b of the connector pins 11. In this manner, all connector pins may simultaneously be adjusted so that the spacing between their arms is uniform and correct. It is pointed out that the spacer 37 serves not only as a spacer, but also provides a stop for the circuit board so that it will not be inserted too far into the compressing means and spacing means.

In practice, it has been found that the arms of the connector pins possess a certain amount of spring. Therefore, if the thickness of the knife edges 35 and 36 is made equal to the desired spacing between the arms of the connector pins, when the knife edges are removed from between the arms of the pins, they spring together to less than their desired predetermined distance apart. For this reason, the knife edges are made somewhat thicker than the desired distance between the connector pin arms so that the arms spring together to the desired distance when the knife edges are removed from between them. Although the exact thickness of the knife edges will generally be determined empirically, it has been found, with one well known connector having a desired spacing between the arms of the pins of .012", that the knife edges must be made about .016" thick in order to properly set the connector pin gap.

The entire assembly of compressing means and spacing means may be mounted between a top plate 41 and the base member 15 by means of bolts 42 which extend through the assembly and are threaded into the base member 15. Of course, the positions of the compressing means and the spacing means may be reversed if desired.

In using the tool, the handle 18 is first rotated clockwise (as seen in the figures) to clear the block 24 from in front of the slots 16a and 17a. Next, a printed circuit board, having connector pins to be adjusted, is inserted in the slots 16a and 17a with the connector pins upward and, of course, toward the compressing means at the other end of the base member 15. The handle 18 is then rotated in a counterclockwise direction, whereby the block 24 engages the rear end of the printed circuit board with the pins 26 fitting into the holes 10a and 10b in the rear of the circuit board. As the handle 18 is further rotated in a counterclockwise direction, the connector pins are moved toward and into engagement with the compressing means. As previously pointed out, the bars 30, 31 and 32 engage the connector pins and simultaneously compress the arms of all of the connector pins together so that the spacing between the arms of each pin is decreased below the desired distance. The arm 18 is then again rotated in a clockwise direction which causes the block 24 to pull the board outwardly and disengage the connector pins from the compressing means.

The printed circuit board may now be removed from the tool, turned over so that its connector pins are downward, and reinserted in the slots 16a and 17a. When the handle 18 is again moved in a counterclockwise direction, the connector pins are caused to engage the knife edges 35 and 36, as previously described, to properly space the arms of each of the connector pins from each other, with all pins being adjusted simultaneously. When the handle 18 is again moved in a clockwise direction, the block 24 pulls the printed circuit board outward and disengages the connector pins from the spacing means. The printed circuit board may then be removed from the tool and is ready for use.

It has been found in practice that the spacing between the arms of all connector pins mounted on a circuit board may be accurately adjusted in thirty seconds or less. Previously, such an operation took many minutes of laborious manual adjustments. Thus, it will be appreciated that a tool embodying the invention fills a needed place in the art.

It is apparent that many changes and modifications may be made by one skilled in the art, such, for example, as by automating the operation of the tool, which changes and modifications still fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. Tool means for simultaneously adjusting a plurality of connector pins mounted on a supporting board, each of said pins including two substantially parallel arms to be spaced apart by a predetermined distance, said tool means comprising:

a base member;

means for supporting said board spaced from said base member with said connector pins extending toward one end of said base member;

compressing means mounted on said base member at said one end for simultaneously exerting force on all of said pins so as to permanently deform and thereby to decrease the spacing between the arms of each of said pins to less than said predetermined distance in response to relative movement of said board and pins toward said compressing means;

spacing means mounted on said base member at said one end for simultaneously exerting force on all of said pins so as to reform the deformed pins and thereby increase the spacing between the arms of each of said pins from said less than predetermined distance to said predetermined distance in response to relative movement of said board and pins toward said spacing means; and

means carried by said base member for providing relative movement between said board and pins and said compressing means and spacing means.

2. The tool means defined by claim 1, wherein said compressing means and said spacing means are arranged so that, when said board is supported with one side toward said base member, said pins are aligned with one of said compressing and spacing means, and, when said board is supported with said one side away from said base member, said pins are aligned with the other of said compressing and spacing means.

3. Tool means for simultaneously adjusting a plurality of connector pins mounted on a supporting board, each of said pins including two substantially parallel arms to be spaced apart by a predetermined distance, said connector pins being arranged in a plurality of rows at different distances from a surface of said board, the tool comprising:

a base member;

side wall means carried by said base member and having slots for supporting said board spaced from said base member with said connector pins extending toward one end of said base member;

compressing means comprising a plurality of spaced apart bars mounted on said base member at said one end for simultaneously exerting force on all of said pins of all said rows to decrease the spacing between the arms of each of said pins to less than said predetermined distance in response to insertion of said pins between said bars, said compressing means being arranged a first predetermined distance spaced from said base member and on one side of said slots; and

spacing means comprising a plurality of spaced apart knife edges mounted on said base member at said one end for simultaneously exerting force on all of said pins of all said rows to increase the spacing between the arms of each of said pins from said less than predetermined distance to said predetermined distance in response to insertion of said knife edges between said arms, said spacing means being arranged a second predetermined distance spaced from said base member, different from said first predetermined distance, and on an opposite side of said slots from said compressive means.

4. The tool means defined by claim 3, wherein the thickness of each of said knife edges is slightly greater than said predetermined distance, whereby spring action of said arms returns them to said predetermined distance when said knife edges are removed from between said arms.

5. The tool means defined by claim 4, further including means carried by said base for moving said board toward and away from said compressing and spacing means.

6. Tool means for simultaneously adjusting a plurality of connector pins mounted on a supporting board, each of said pins including two substantially parallel arms to be spaced apart by a predetermined distance, said tool means comprising:

a base member;

compressing means aflixed to said base member for exerting force on all said pins simultaneously for permanently deforming both arms of each of said pins to decrease the spacing between the arms of each pin to a distance less than said predetermined distance;

spacing means affixed to said base member for exerting force between the arms on all of said pins simultaneously, for permanently displacing the deformed arms of each pin relative to one another to position Whereat the distance between the arms of each pin is increased to conform substantially to said predetermined distance; and

means supported by said base member for accepting said supporting board and selectively aligning said pins in operational compressive and operational spacing relationship with said compressing means and said spacing means respectively.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,711,692 5/1929 Robinson 8115 1,976,929 10/ 1934 Elliott.

2,573,198 10/1951 Hoffman et al. 81-15 2,660,078 11/ 1953 Armstrong.

2,729,996 1/ 1956 Schoenwald 7-4 2,827,812 3/1958 Gavurnik 8115 2,839,958 6/1958 Bundy 8115 2,912,888 11/1959 Webb 8115 2,924,870 2/1960 Boisjolie 2925.42

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

MILTON S. MEHR, Examiner. 

6. TOOL MEANS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY ADJUSTING A PLURALITY OF CONNECTOR PINS MOUNTED ON A SUPPORTING BOARD, EACH OF SAID PINS INCLUDING TWO SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL ARMS TO BE SPACED APART BY A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE, SAID TOOL MEANS COMPRISING: A BASE MEMBER; COMPRESSING MEANS AFFIXED TO SAID BASE MEMBER FOR EXERTING FORCE ON ALL SAID PINS SIMULTANEOULSY FOR PERMANENTLY DEFORMING BOTH ARMS OF EACH OF SAID PINS TO DECREASE THE SPACING BETWEEN THE ARMS OF EACH PIN TO A DISTANCE LESS THAN SAID PREDETERMINED DISTANCE; SPACING MEANS AFFIXED TO SAID BASE MEMBER FOR EXERTING FORCE BETWEEN THE ARMS ON ALL OF SAID PINS SIMULTANEOUSLY, FOR PERMANENTLY DISPLACING THE DEFORMED ARMS OF EACH PIN RELATIVE TO ONE ANOTHER TO POSITION WHEREAT THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE ARMS OF EACH PIN IS INCREASED TO CONFORM SUBSTANTIALLY TO SAID PREDETERMINED DISTANCE; AND MEANS SUPPORTED BY SAID BASE MEMBER FOR ACCEPTING SAID SUPPORTING BOARD AND SELECTIVELY ALIGNING SAID PINS IN OPERATIONAL COMPRESSIVE AND OPERATIONAL SPACING RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID COMPRESSING MEANS AND SAID SPACING MEANS RESPECTIVELY. 